1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to PC cards and frame kits for the PC cards.
2. Description of the Prior Art
PC cards have at the front end a socket connector for connection to a mating connector of equipment. FIG. 19 shows a conventional PC card 51 has a socket connector having a metal ground plate 53 with dimples 52 provided on the front surface. The dimples 52 are made semi-spherical so as to assure contact with a shield plate of the mating connector. A metal panel 54 is provided in attempts to shield the entire surface of the PC card 51. A cut-out 54A is provided at the front end of the metal panel 54 to expose the dimples 52 on the ground plate 53.
The PC card 51 has a frame holder 61 for holding at the front end a socket connector 55 for connection to a mating connector 71. As shown in FIG. 20, the socket connector 55 has a housing 57 with upper and low rows of apertures for receiving contact elements 56 for contact with contact elements 72 of the mating connector 71. The contact elements 56 have upper and lower contact tongues for assuring contact with the mating contact elements 72. Also, they have rear contact portions 56A for contact with signal conductors of a card substrate 58. Ground conductors are provided between the signal conductors formed on the card substrate 58 corresponding to the respective contact portions 56A.
The ground plate 53 put on top of the housing 57 has a ground terminal 53A bending downwardly in the vicinity of the dimple 52 so as to make a resilient contact with a ground contact of the card substrate 58. The ground terminal 53A extend rearwardly through a cut-out 54A of the upper panel 54.
A shield plate 73 is provided on the mating connector 71 and having a front contact piece 75 which is folded back into a PC card receiving cavity 74.
When the PC card 51 is pushed into the receiving cavity 74 such that the socket connector 55 is connected to the mating connector 71, the contact elements 56 are fitted over the contact elements 72, and the dimples 52 of the ground plate 53 contact the contact piece 75 of the shield plate 73 so that the ground circuit of the PC card is grounded via the shield plate 73 and the ground plate 53.
Since the thickness of PC cards is regulated by the standards, it is necessary to form the cut-out 54A in the metal panel 54 corresponding to the ground plate 53 of the socket connector 55. Although the ground plate 53 shields the connection between the socket connector 55 and the mating connector 71, there is a gap between the ground plate 53 and the metal panel 54 at the cut-out 54A, allowing dust and/or water to enter and providing a poor appearance. If the metal panel 54 and the ground plate 53 are put closely, they could contact each other, permitting noise to be transmitted from the metal panel and/or connector or cable to the ground plate to interfere signals.